Parsha Vayetze

"This time I will thank G-d" -- Leah

These were Leah's words upon giving burton to her fourth son. They are the reason the Torah gives for calling him Yehuda, derived from the Hebrew word for thanks. But what do thanks mean?

Rav Hutner zt"l noted that the Hebrew word for thanks is the same as the word for acknowledgement. He explained that this is because the core content of thanks is the acknowledgement of your need for someone else and your dependence upon them. When you say thank you to someone, you are acknowledging your own dependence upon them and you are building that connection into something a little bit more reciprocal, a little bit more profound.

As we continue with the reopening of our Shule and our state, let's all take a moment to get more connected to those we love and care about. Let's connect build back our community even stronger than it was before.